October 12, 2013

Yes You Can Can: Miss Laurie's Pendant

When Miss Laurie and Nate met, their children were grown. Living had its own pattern. Miss Laurie had been on her own in her big country farmhouse for the better part of a decade.

Nate literally rode into her life. He was a real cowboy, who lived the 'cowboy way.' He loved all of that, but your horse can't fill every void in your heart, and he was more and more painfully aware of it. Something was missing. It was probably Miss Laurie.

We often ask Miss Laurie when she knew she was in love with Nate. "As soon as he walked in the door", is the response. They married in April, 2007.

Nate is always reminding Miss Laurie of his love for her. Like a magpie bringing trinkets back to the nest, he's always showing up with little bits of nature for her to keep and savor.

Recently on a trip to the lake, Nate found a funky little rock, black and ivory in color, shaped like a heart. He presented it to Laurie with such pride... and she knew she had to do something special with it.

But what?

Jewelry, of course! Laurie got some basic tools from me here at B'sue Boutiques along with a bit of Beadsmith 20 ga. silver-finish wire. We keep planning to have a little class or two, but she's been anxious to get started and I haven't been able to fit it in. So, with no real instruction whatsoever, she made a pendant from the rock.

Today Miss Laurie stopped by, determined to share the pendant with me yet feeling very shy. What would I think of her first little piece? Would she dare to wear it?

This is the front of her pendant....and below is the back:

Sure, it's not perfect....but I shudder to think what her pendants will look like in a few months' time, if she keeps after it. Nate has found her so many pretty bits, she'll never run out of cool stuff to wrap.....and I gotta say, I was IMPRESSED with her very first endeavor.

I told her, DO NOT take this apart, put it on a sterling chain and wear it, and never change a thing. Always keep it. Most artists don't have the first piece they ever made; so if you do, it's a special thing indeed.

I DO have mine....and I keep it in a curio cupboard:

It's pretty awful, but it was the first link to my jewelry making future, which so far, spans almost three decades.

I didn't have a clue what I was doing, either. Most of the time, I still don't! But: I make things like this, now:

Everyone has to start somewhere. I am so glad that Miss Laurie started without me, going on her own desire to just 'make something'. Already, I can see she's got a real feel for it.

Maybe you do, too, but you're holding back for some reason?

Let me remind you: today's methods are broad, and no one needs to be held to any certain design standard, anymore. You can start just about anyplace and with anything you wish. The first person you have to please is yourself.

Being honest, you may be the hardest person in the world to please. My advice? Don't be like that!